While at a funeral this past weekend I had the occasion to talk to a family friend that was born and raised in the Shenandoah Valley, VA. He is not only a big S.O.B., he's also in charge of security on the Mountain that the President high tails it to in the event of a nuclear emergency(that is all he can tell us about his job). He is a prolific story teller, and I mean that in a good way. He can captivate a crowd with his down to earth style and easy going nature.

We got to talking about fishing with a doctor and a judge(I know this sounds like a joke but it isn't) and Mike, out of the blue, announces that we, "..throw away the best part of a fish every single time, guaranteed."

This peeks our interest, of course, so we press him for the information that he is hoarding.

Mike proceeds to explain that the best part of the fish is the tail. He detailed the process of frying the actual tail in oil until it is crispy, like a potato chip. He says that he eats them all the time, especially smallmouth bass tails fresh from the North and South forks of the Shenandoah River. The best part is that his wife backed him up on the story.

To lend further credence to this odd ball item, Mike hosts an annual "Wild Game Feast," in October. Typical items on the menu would include venison(cooked every way imaginable), elk, squirrel pot pie, wild game birds, bass, salmon, full barbecued hogs, and a mystery meat(last year it was possum). Now, in light of all this, I can't tell if he was pulling our leg, or if this is legit. He certainly wasn't letting me in on the joke.

Any feedback on this? I'll be real interested in any replies. In fact, I'll probably forward them to him.